Singapore aid for Riau poor families

PEKANBARU, Riau: Aid in the form of boxes of 21 types of medicines and 4,000 metric tons of rice from the Singapore government donated to poor families in the province has arrived at Dumai Port, an official said here Tuesday.

Assistant to the director general of people's welfare, Djalil Rasyid, said the relief, packed in 58 containers, would be distributed to the needy in two stages.

The first half of the aid will be distributed this week, while the remaining half next month in preparation for the Islamic Ramadhan fasting month, he was quoted by Antara as saying.

According to Djalil, the free rice and medicines donated by the neighboring country will be given to poor families in Pekanbaru, Bengkalis, Kampar, Indragiri Hulu and Indragiri Hilir.

The medicines include vitamins, antibiotics and antimalaria pills.

Data from the provincial administration shows that Riau is home to 141,000 poor people, most of whom reside in Indragiri Hulu.

Djalil assumes the real number of needy people in the province is slightly higher than the official figure.

"It is believed that many outsiders have thronged to the area looking for jobs as they believe that Riau has not yet been affected by the monetary crisis," he said. (bsr)